The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 of German Patent Application No. 199 55 862.0, filed on Nov. 20, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a roll with a roll jacket that is rotatably supported by a bearing ring on an axis that is held in a non-rotatable manner. The bearing ring is moveable relative to an axis parallel to a radial direction, and a locking device that unblocks or blocks a radial lift movement. The invention further relates to a calender roll that includes the neighboring roll arranged to form a nip, and at least one further roll. The neighboring roll and the at least one further roll are displaceable in the pressing direction.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Such a roll is known, e.g., from DE 36 04 839 C2. Here, a locking device is formed as a half-moon or sickle-shaped wedge that can be placed into a gap between the roll jacket and the axis when the roll jacket is located in a completely raised or completely lowered position relative to the axis.
In many calenders, sag compensation rolls are used as the upper and lower end rolls. However, both of these sag compensation rolls are of different types, which are usually labeled as K and F types, i.e., the one roll is embodied as a roll with a jacket lift. Such a roll, the roll jacket can move in a radial direction relative to the axis. In the other roll, however, the roll jacket is firmly fixed on the axis, which results in necessitating that two different reserve rolls must also be kept in stock. For this reason, a possibility is provided in the above-mentioned DE 36 04 839 C2 of being able to achieve both types of roll with one single reserve roll. However, in order to reconfigure this roll from one type of roll, e.g., with a jacket lift, to the other type of roll, i.e., without a jacket lift, some mounting measures are necessary. This is relatively unpractical and dangerous, especially in the case of calenders that remain online. Above all, the reconfiguration expense is relatively high.
The invention simplifies the change in mode of operation from a roll with jacket lift ability to a roll with a fixed jacket.
Therefore, the present invention a roll of the type mentioned at the outset in which the locking device has a rotatable part with a longitudinal opening that can be turned to a first rotational setting in which the longitudinal opening is aligned substantially parallel to the lift movement direction, and a second rotational setting, in which the lift movement is blocked.
With this construction, it is possible to change the mode of operation from a roll with jacket lift ability to a roll in which the jacket is fixed to the axis, or vice versa, without any other retrofitting measures. It is simply necessary for the rotatable part of the locking device to rotate correspondingly. In one rotational setting, the longitudinal opening provides a path of movement in which the axis can be moved relative to the roll jacket. In the other rotational setting, the longitudinal opening is structured in such a way that this path of movement is no longer available. If the axis is fixed laterally, i.e., crosswise to the lift direction relative to the axis, the roll jacket is fixed on this axis with a relatively high degree of precision in this setting of the rotatable part. Usually, the rotatable part is rotated approximately 90xc2x0 between the first and second rotational settings. However, this is not obligatory. It is also conceivable to use more than one rotatable part, as long as the condition is fulfilled that one longitudinal opening, in one rotational setting, allows the lift movement of the axis in the roll jacket or of the roll jacket relative to the axis, while this lift movement is prevented in the other rotational settings.
Preferably, the rotatable part is formed by the bearing ring or is moveable together with it. This facilitates the production as well as the handling. The bearing ring is rotatable relative to the roll jacket in any case. In this regard, therefore, no further arrangements need to be made. The only additional task is making the bearing rotatable relative to the axis as well in order to bring the longitudinal opening either into alignment with the lift movement direction or to remove it therefrom.
Preferably, the rotatable part can be rotated around the rotational axis of the roll jacket. This further simplifies the movement control and the constructive structure.
Preferably, the longitudinal opening has concave sections on its longitudinal edges whose bending radius corresponds to the axis in this region, where the axis in the region of the rotatable part has flattened sections that extend parallel to the direction of movement. The concave sections can be used to support the rotatable part on the axis if the rotatable part is in the blocked position. In this case, the rotatable part encloses the axis and lies against the circumference with its concave sections. Even if this contact does not occur over the entire circumference of the axis, the bearing is sufficient in most cases.
Preferably, the distance between the flattened sections is just as large as the clear width of the longitudinal opening. Thus, the longitudinal opening simultaneously also serves as a guide for the rotatable part in relation to the axis during the lift movement.
More advantageously, slides lie on the flattened sections. These slides have a flat underside and an upper side having the same bend as the axes in the region of the rotatable part, at least on one part of the axial length. Therefore, on this part of the axial length, the assembly of the axis and slides forms a cylinder jacket surface such that the rotatable part can be supported in every rotational position on a corresponding section of the cylinder jacket surface. Thus, the rotatable part is held reliably when the roll jacket performs a lift movement in relation to the axis.
Here, it is preferred for the slides to have a radially protruding projection with at least one support surface that cooperates in the axial direction with a corresponding opposing surface on the rotatable part. Thus, an axial fixing of the rotatable part in relation to the axis and/or the slides is achieved.
Preferably, the projection fits into an inner groove on the rotatable part. Thus, the slide is fixed in both axial directions in relation to the rotatable part.
Preferably, the rotatable part is supported on the radially outer side of the projections. Thus, a further support option results for the rotatable part that is particularly advantageous when the roll jacket is fixed in relation to the axis. Namely, in this case, the rotatable part can be supported in relation to the axis on at least a total of four positions. Even if one or the other support is occasionally less effective or not effective at all, e.g., due to strain, a very stable support is achieved with this construction.
Preferably, the roll is embodied as a sag compensation roll. Such rolls are best able to utilize the jacket lift characteristic.
It is also advantageous that the axis has a decreased diameter in the region of the rotatable part. Thus, sufficient space is available to accommodate the rotatable part without the diameter of the roll jacket needing to be overly enlarged.
The present invention provides a calender of the type mentioned at the outset which includes devices that optionally block or unblock the neighboring roll.
Such a construction provides the option of operating the calender with all nips. In this case, the jacket is fixed in relation to the axis, such that the ability of the jacket to be displaced is blocked. Further; the neighboring roll is freely displaceable, which is important for opening the nips, among other things. Opening the nips is necessary, e.g., for inserting a material web. However, if the calender is to be operated with only one nip, i.e., formed between the roll whose jacket lift function may be activated or deactivated and the neighboring roll, the neighboring roll is fixed in such a way that it can no longer be displaced. The rest of the rolls in the calender, however, can be displaced such that the nips on which they border are open. In order to now be able to open the nip between the roll and the neighboring roll as well, the jacket lift function of the roll is activated. Therefore, the nip is opened in that the jacket of the roll is displaced in relation to the axis with the jacket lift function. Thus, a relatively large degree of freedom is obtained in selecting the operational options of the calender.
Preferably, the neighboring roll is mounted in a seating by way of a lever, where the device blocks a pivoting movement of the lever relative to the seating. This is a relatively simple measure to block or unblock the ability of the roll to be displaced. In the most simple case, a socket pin that is guided through the lever and seating is sufficient to fix the neighboring roll in the seating.
More preferably, the device includes a load limiting device, which prevents damage from resulting in situations where too-large forces occur. If, e.g., the forces from the roll with a jacket lift become too great and the danger arises of the roll jacket of one of the two rolls being damaged, the load limiting device is triggered and unblocks the neighboring roll. In the simplest case, the load limiting device can be formed by the pin that serves to fix the lever in the seating. Such a pin can be dimensioned in such a way that it shears off when too-large forces occur. Naturally, other devices are also possible, e.g., hydraulic piston-cylinder units or the like.
Preferably, the locking device is embodied as described in connection with the roll. This simplifies the change-over.
The instant invention is directed to a roll that includes a roll axle, a roll jacket, and a bearing ring positioned to rotatably support the roll jacket. The bearing ring is non-rotatable but is radially movable relative to the roll axle. A locking device is positionably adjustable to selectively block and unblock a radial lift movement, and the locking device includes a rotatable part having a longitudinal opening. The rotatable part is rotatable into a first rotational position in which the longitudinal opening is oriented substantially parallel to a direction of the radial lift movement, and is rotatable into a second rotational position in which the radial lift movement is blocked.
In accordance with a feature of the instant invention, the rotatable part can either be formed by the bearing ring or be movable with the bearing ring.
According to another feature of the invention, the rotatable part can be positioned to rotate around a rotational axis of the roll jacket.
The longitudinal opening may include longitudinal edges having concave sections with a bending radius that corresponds to the roll axle in this region. The roll axle may include flattened sections in a region of the rotatable part which extend substantially parallel to the direction of radial lift movement. The distance between the flattened sections can be as large as an opening width of the longitudinal opening. Further, slides may be arranged to lie on the flattened sections, and each of the slides can have a flat lower side arranged adjacent the flattened sections and an upper side having a bending radius over at least a part of its axial length that is the same as the bending radius of the axle in the region of the rotatable part. The slides may have a radially protruding projection having at least one support surface that cooperates in an axial direction with a corresponding opposing surface on the rotatable part. The projection can be structured to fit into an inner groove on the rotatable part. The rotatable part may be supported on a radially outer side of the projections.
In accordance with the present invention, the roll can include a sag compensation roll.
According to another feature of the invention, the axle can have a decreased diameter in the region of the rotatable part.
The present invention is directed to a calender that includes a roll having a roll jacket rotatably supported on an axle by a non-rotatable bearing ring. The bearing ring is radially movable relative to the axle and includes a locking device arranged to selectively block and unblock a radial lift movement. A neighboring roll is arranged to form a nip with the roll, and at least one further roll is provided, such that the neighboring roll and the further rolls are mounted for displacement in the pressing direction, and a device arranged to selectively block and unblock the displacement of the neighboring roll.
In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the calender can further include a seating and a lever for mounting the neighboring roll in the seating. The device may selectively block and unblock a pivoting movement of the lever relative to the seating.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the device can include a load limiting device.
The present invention is directed to a process of operating a roll that includes a roll axle, a roll jacket, and a non-rotatable bearing ring positioned to rotatably support the roll jacket and to be radially movable relative to the roll axle. A locking device is positionably adjustable to selectively block and unblock a radial lift movement, and includes a rotatable part having a longitudinal opening. The process may include one of (a) rotating the rotatable part into a first rotational position in which the longitudinal opening is oriented substantially parallel to a direction of the radial lift movement, and (b) rotating the rotatable part into a second rotational position in which the radial lift movement is blocked.
According to a feature of the invention, when in the first rotational position, the roll can be operable as a lift jacket roll.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, when in the second rotational position, the roll can be operable as a stationary roll.
The present invention is directed to a process of operating a calender that includes a roll having a roll axle, a roll jacket, and a non-rotatable bearing ring positioned to rotatably support the roll jacket and to be radially movable relative to the roll axle. A locking device is positionably adjustable to selectively block and unblock a radial lift movement, and includes a rotatable part having a longitudinal opening. Further, a neighboring roll is arranged to form a nip with the roll, and at least one further roll is provided, such that the neighboring roll and the at least one further roll is positionably displaceable in a pressing direction. The process includes one of blocking and unblocking the neighboring roll from being positionably displaceable, and one of (a) rotating the rotatable part into a first rotational position in which the longitudinal opening is oriented substantially parallel to a direction of the radial lift movement, and (b) rotating the rotatable part into a second rotational position in which the radial lift movement is blocked.